Publications

LCWR offers its members a wide variety of publications designed to keep them informed of current information and events regarding the conference and religious life. These publications are available to the public as well.

In May 2001 the members of the International Union of Superiors General declared their commitment to address the “trafficking of women which has become a lucrative multi-national business. ”At their joint national assembly in August 2001, LCWR and CMSM passed a resolution calling members to oppose the trafficking of women and children and educate others regarding the magnitude, causes and consequence of this abuse.

At the invitation of Jim Wallis,founding editor of Sojourner’smagazine, Constance Phelps, SCL,LCWR vice-president and Carole Shinnick, SSND, LCWR executive director, joined an ecumenical group of 25 religious leaders to raise the plight of the nation’s poor to the nation’s lawmakers. For five years, Reverend Wallis has gathered a similar group in Washington in the week immediately following Pentecost to advocate for the most vulnerable US citizens who are impacted by decisions made inside the Beltway.

At the August 1998 Joint Assembly, a resolution on World Debt was approved by the members of LCWR and CMSM. The resolution challenged conference members to participate in the global movement to cancel impoverished countries’ debt in a variety of ways. Several congregations joined the Jubilee 2000 campaign and encouraged their members to advocate for the passage of U.S. debt relief legislation.

It gives us great pleasure to welcome Marie Lucey, OSF, to the National Office of LCWR where she will assume the position of Associate Director for Social Mission. Marie has just completed a sabbatical program at St. Stephen’s Priory in Dover, NH.

Practices and policies that promote poverty, racism and violence seem to engulf us. We see our President and his advisors careening toward military action. We see people suffering from failures in our welfare system. We see new and smarter forms of racism afoot in our country. In response, we make phone calls, send faxes and e-mails, endorse statements, and engage in public protest. We engage in advocacy efforts on behalf of those who suffer oppression.

As military forces are moved into position to prepare for a U.S. war against Iraq, around the world people hear again Christ’s quiet message of peace: love one another. It is a message shared by all our world’s religious traditions.

Editor's notes: LCWR President Mary Ann Zollmann, BVM, recently travelled to the Middle East as part of a delegation comprised of the leadership of CMSM and the Relgious Conference of Britain and Wales. She shares her experiences below.